Murrieta school employee to be tested for coronavirus; 71 students instructed to self-quarantine
UPDATE - 3/9/2020
According to the school district, tests results came back negative. Students no longer need to self-quarantine and the school will reopen on Wednesday.
Original report - 3/6/2020
Murrieta Valley High School will be closed out of an abundance of caution next week after a school employee displayed symptoms of the novel coronavirus, the school district announced Friday.
According to the county, the employee, who will not be identified due to privacy laws, recently traveled to a country with a known coronavirus outbreak.
Murrieta Valley High School will be closed Monday, March 9 and will remain closed until testing of the affected individual is complete. While the school is closed, the campus will be disinfected.
“The health and safety of our students is our first concern. This decision was made is to ensure their health,” said Murrieta Valley Unified School District Superintendent Pat Kelley.
Health officials also issued exclusion orders to 71 students instructing them to self-quarantine. The select students are believed to have possibly come in contact with the school employee. This is to help prevent students and school personnel from becoming sick.
“While I want to reassure the students, families and staff at MVHS that the risk of transmission is low, I support the school district’s decision to temporarily close the school until testing is complete,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer.
If the employee tests positive, it would mark the first coronavirus case in the county.
Coronavirus is generally transmitted through close contact with a sick person. The virus can be spread on surfaces through coughs and sneezes. It’s critical that anyone who is sick, stays home. Public health officials urge the community to cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently and keep a distance from others who are sick.
For more information, visit www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus. MVHS parents can call (951) 304-1795 for more information about school district actions.
